Easy to Make Vegan Pumpkin Tart
This easy to make vegan pumpkin tart uses a graham cracker crust and simple but delicious pumpkin filling. Lighter than traditional pumpkin pie and a whole lot easier to make, no one will be able to guess this flavorful tart is made without dairy, without eggs, and is gluten free and nut free, too!
If you love pumpkin pie but want something quicker and easier, this recipe is for you! Taking a classic vegan pumpkin pie and transforming it into a simple tart means making a quick and easy graham cracker crust, and filling it with a simple 6 ingredient pumpkin filling.
It’s a great recipe for the holidays as you can make and bake this tart in under an hour! Plus, it tastes even better the day after baking, making it a perfect dessert for your Thanksgiving holiday menu.
Ingredients
For the full list of ingredients, complete with recipe amounts, please see the recipe box below.
- Graham Crackers: I love to use a simple graham cracker crust here, and yes, there are vegan graham crackers! If you can’t find any near you, Biscoff cookies make for a great swap.
- Pumpkin: Make sure you use real pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling! There are other ingredients in the filling mix like spices and stabilizers that will interfere with the cheesecake.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: I love an extra spicy pumpkin pie and pumpkin tart! This recipe is somewhere in the middle of low and heavy on the spices so you can adjust to your taste buds. Bonus points if you use your own homemade pumpkin pie spice.
- Plant Milk + Cornstarch: Acting as both the cream and the egg replacement, using hot plant milk and cornstarch creates a thick slurry to help hold the tart together. I recommend plain unsweetened soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, or coconut milk for this recipe.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar is perfect in pumpkin fillings as it brings a rich and subtle molasses flavor that really enhances the pumpkin. If you want to make this refined sugar free, you can use coconut sugar in an equal amount.
Substitutions
Need to make this gluten free? It’s easy! Simply replace the graham crackers with your favorite gluten free graham crackers or cookies. A gluten free ginger snap would taste amazing in this. The rest of the recipe is naturally gluten free.
Instructions
Make sure to check out the recipe card below for the full recipe and ingredient list.
Making this tart is really easy! It can be done in 4 steps.
Step One: Make the Crust
First up, make the crust! Blitz the graham crackers (or cookies) in a food processor, or get in a quick workout and smash them yourself with a rolling pin. Mix the crumbs together with a the melted butter. Pat this into a tart pan and set it aside.
Step Two: Make the Filling
Start by making the cornstarch slurry. Whisk together the warmed plant milk and cornstarch. This is to remove any lumps before putting it in the pumpkin filling. Whisk it really well!
In a large mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, cornstarch slurry, and pinch of salt. Whisk well until no lumps of cornstarch remain.
Tip! If you have made this and some cornstarch is still clumpy, pop this into your food processor or blender and blend on medium-high for 30 seconds or until the clumps are gone.
Step Three: Bake
Bake the tart uncovered for 25 minutes. I like to place mine on a baking sheet to make transferring the tart in and out of the oven easier.
Step Four: Chill and Serve
Now the hard part: Letting it cool! Let it cool for a good hour on the rack and then 2 hours in the fridge to fully set.
How to Store
Fridge: Keep any leftover tart in the fridge, loosely covered for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Fully baked and cooled tarts can be kept in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Allow the tart to thaw in the fridge overnight before serving after freezing.
Make Ahead: This tart needs to cool completely before serving so it’s the perfect dessert to make in advance! Make and bake this tart, let it cool completely, and then loosely cover and place the tart in the fridge before serving the next day.
Pumpkin Recipes
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Equipment
- 8-inch (20-cm) Tart Pan
- Mixing bowls and spoons
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Blender or food processor optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup vegan butter melted
- 1 cup pumpkin
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup plant milk warmed
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. Make sure the oven rack is in the middle of the oven.
- Make the crust. In a food processor, or in a mixing bowl with a masher or in a bag with a rolling pin, crush the graham crackers to crumbs. Add the melted butter. Press into the tart pan, making sure to have the crumbs go up the sides a little bit. Set this aside.
- Make the filling. In a small bowl, combine the warmed plant milk and the cornstarch. Whisk together, making sure there are no lumps. Add this to a larger bowl along with the pumpkin, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Whisk again until smooth. If there are any lumps of cornstarch, you can place this in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
- Bake. Pour the prepared filling into the crust and bake uncovered for 25 minutes. I like to place my tart pan on a baking sheet to make transferring easier.
- Cool and serve. Allow the tart to cool in the pan on a wire rack for an hour before chilling in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight. Top with whipped coconut cream if desired. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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